Patent Application
20250122898
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of fasteners and, more specifically, to fasteners comprising a body and a flange constructed from different materials and configured to use with an UV adhesive.
Items are traditionally attached to panels within vehicle interiors with potted fasteners. The fasteners are placed into a hole in the panel and then potting (i.e., adhesive) is injected. Once secured, an item can be attached to the fastener to secure the item to the panel. Potted fasteners typically have an internally threaded feature and provide a simple and strong way to attach the item to the panel. However, existing potted inserts have a variety of drawbacks.
Attempts to automate the installation process have proven to be difficult and expensive. Therefore, the potted fasteners are manually installed in most applications. The manual installation requires a technician to individually insert each of the fasteners into the panels. An issue with manual installation is the inconsistency in the installation. This can result in the fasteners failing quality specifications.
Another issue with existing fasteners is the relatively long time required for adhesive curing. In some examples, the cure time of the potting is four hours which greatly adds to the overall cycle times of the installation.
One aspect is directed to a fastener configured to be attached to a panel and to support an item. The fastener comprises a body constructed from a first material and with the body comprising an opening that extends into the body at a first end. A flange constructed from a second material is connected to the body and sized to extend laterally outward beyond the body. The first material comprises a higher melting point than the second material. The first material comprises a lower transmissibility of UV light than the second material.
In another aspect, the flange is connected to a second end of the body and is spaced away from the first end of the body.
In another aspect, the first material comprises a higher strength than the second material.
In another aspect, the flange comprises a central opening and the body is positioned within the central opening.
In another aspect, an insert is positioned within the opening of the body at the first end with the insert constructed from a third material that is different from the first material and the second material.
In another aspect, the body comprises grooves on opposing sides of the opening to crimp the insert.
In another aspect, the body comprises a main section that comprises the first end, and a lip positioned at the second end wherein the lip comprises a greater width than the main section.
In another aspect, the opening in the body extends completely through the body.
In another aspect, the flange is substantially translucent to accommodate transmission of the UV light and the body is opaque.
One aspect is directed to a fastener configured to be attached to a panel and to support an item. The fastener comprises a body comprising a first end, a second end, and an opening that extends through the body from the first end to the second end. A flange is positioned at the second end of the body and comprises a width that is greater than the body with the flange extending laterally outward beyond the body. The body has a higher melting point and a lower transmissibility of UV light than the flange.
In another aspect, the flange is translucent and the body is opaque.
In another aspect, the body comprises a cylindrical shape and the flange comprises a disc shape.
In another aspect, the flange extends completely around the body.
In another aspect, the flange comprises a central opening and the second end of the body is positioned within the central opening.
In another aspect, an insert is positioned within the opening in the body with the insert constructed from a different material than each of the body and the flange.
In another aspect, the body comprises a main section that extends inward from the first end with the main section having a first width, and a lip positioned at the second end with the lip having a second width that is greater than the first width.
One aspect is directed to a method of attaching a fastener to a panel. The method comprises: positioning an opaque body of the fastener into an opening in the panel with a first end of the body at a first side of the panel and a second end of the body at an opposing second side of the panel; positioning a translucent flange across the opening at the second side of the panel with the translucent flange connected to the second end of the opaque body; positioning adhesive between the translucent flange and the second side of the panel; and securing the fastener to the panel by passing UV light through the translucent flange and to the adhesive and curing the adhesive.
In another aspect, the method further comprises applying the adhesive to the translucent flange prior to positioning the translucent flange across the second side of the panel.
In another aspect, the method further comprises aligning a first end of the opaque body with the first side of the panel.
In another aspect, the method further comprises applying the adhesive to just the translucent flange and not the opaque body.
The features, functions and advantages that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various aspects or may be combined in yet other aspects, further details of which can be seen with reference to the following description and the drawings.
In some examples, the first material of the body 30 is functionally strong and light. In some examples, the first material has a higher melting point than the second material. In some examples, the first material is not formulated based on its transmissibility of UV light.
The body 30 includes an opening 33 that extends inward from the first end 31. In some examples as shown in
In some examples as illustrated in
The insert 50 is a separate member that is inserted into and connected with the body 30. The insert 50 can be connected in various manners, including but not limited to one or more of a threaded engagement, adhesives and being molded together. In some examples, the insert 50 is co-molded with the body 30 and the molten material of the body 30 flows around and secures the insert 50. In other examples, the body 30 includes one or more grooves 36 along the lateral sides 34. The grooves 36 provide for applying a force to crimp the insert 50 to create a distortion and thereby a thread locking feature.
The body 30 includes a main section 37 and a lip 35 at the second end 32. The lip 35 is configured to engage with the flange 40. As illustrated in
The body 30 is constructed from material with a high strength and high melting point. The material further has low light transmissibility. One examples of a material includes polyetherimide which is often referred to by its trade name ULTEM.
The flange 40 is connected to the body 30 at the second end 32. The connection can be through various means including one or more of threaded engagement, adhesive, and being molded together. In some examples, the body 30 and flange 40 are co-molded or over-molded together. In some examples, the flange 40 has a disc shape that extends completely around the body 30.
The flange 40 includes a center opening 41 that receives the body 30. As illustrated in
The flange 40 has a width W3 measured between opposing points on the outer edge 42. The width W3 is larger than the width W1 of the main section 37 of the body 30. This larger size prevents the fastener 20 from being inserted completely into the opening 103 as the flange 40 remains on the first side 101 of the panel 100.
The flange 40 is constructed from a translucent material with a high light transmissibility. The material also has a lower melting temperature than the body 30. Examples of materials include but are not limited to transparent nylon, transparent polyamides, and TROGAMID material.
The body 30 extends within the opening 103. The first end 31 is positioned in proximity to the second side 102. The insert 50 is mounted in the opening 33 at the first end 31. The opening 51 in the insert 50 is exposed to receive an item (not illustrated).
During mounting, the adhesive 110 is positioned between the flange 40 and the first side 101. In some examples, the adhesive 110 is positioned on the flange 40 prior to the body 30 being inserted into the opening 103. Additionally or alternatively, the adhesive 110 is inserted into the space formed between the flange 40 and first side 101 after the body 30 is inserted into the opening 103. In some examples, the adhesive 110 is applied to just the flange 40 and not to the body 30.
After the fastener 20 is positioned in the panel 100, UV light is applied through the flange 40 to the adhesive 110. The material of the flange 40 provides for the UV light to pass through to the adhesive 110. The UV light is applied for the necessary time to cure the adhesive 110. The UV light does not affect the body 30 and thus the body 30 maintains its structural characteristics.
In some examples, the flange 40 may fail. This can be caused by various reasons, including but not limited to being melted by a high temperature event such as a fire, and being torn from the body 30 during use. The lip 35 on the flange 35 has a width W2 that is larger than the width of the opening 103 in the panel 100. This difference in widths is seen best in
The opening 33 extends into the body 30 from the first end 31. In some examples, the opening 33 extends completely through the body 30. A through opening 33 accommodates a full length insert 50 that is threaded at both ends. A first item 200 can be threaded onto the first end and a second item can be attached from the flange side utilizing the threads at the second end.
A variety of items 200 can be connected to the fastener 20. Examples include but are not limited to bolts, screws, pins, wiring support brackets, magazine racks, mating panels, environmental control ducting and features, electronic boxes, and video monitors.
The panel 100 can be constructed from various materials. In some examples, the panel 100 is a composite material.
In some examples, the fastener 20 includes an insert 50 mounted in the body 30. In other examples, the fastener 20 does not include an insert. Rather, the opening 33 in the body 30 is configured to receive the item 200. In some examples, the opening 33 is threaded to connect to the item.
By the term “substantially” with reference to amounts or measurement values, it is meant that the recited characteristic, parameter, or value need not be achieved exactly. Rather, deviations or variations, including, for example, tolerances, measurement error, measurement accuracy limitations, and other factors known to those skilled in the art, may occur in amounts that do not preclude the effect that the characteristic was intended to provide.
The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
